Queen History

Brian May is born in Hampton, Middlesex.

Roger Taylor is born in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

Following Tim Staffell's departure from Smile, Freddie Mercury joins Brian May and Roger Taylor.

The band, without a permanent bassist yet, plays its first gig as Queen at a college in Truro.

John Deacon joins as bassist, completing the classic Queen lineup.

John Deacon joins Brian May, Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor, completing Queen's classic line-up.

The definitive four-piece line-up of Mercury, May, Taylor and Deacon performs live for the first time.

Sessions for the album Queen begin at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Studios.

Queen signs a recording contract with EMI Records in the UK.

Freddie Mercury, a trained graphic designer, creates the band's iconic crest logo combining the members' zodiac signs.

Queen releases the single 'Keep Yourself Alive'. Debut single.

Queen release their self-titled debut album in the UK.

Queen releases the album Queen. Debut studio album.

Early UK concert date shortly after the debut album's release.

Early German television performance helping build the band's European audience.

Queen releases the single 'Seven Seas of Rhye'. First UK top-ten hit, reaching number 10.

Opening night of the Queen II Tour, Blackpool, England.

Queen's breakthrough UK television performance on Top of the Pops.

Queen releases the album Queen II. Second studio album, featuring 'Seven Seas of Rhye'.

Queen appears on the influential BBC music programme.

Queen embarks on its first concert tour of North America, supporting Mott the Hoople.

Denver, opening night of the band's first North American tour.

US date on the co-headlining support tour with Mott the Hoople.

Queen records 'Killer Queen' at Trident Studios, London.

Promotional film for 'Killer Queen' is produced ahead of the single's release.

Queen releases the single 'Killer Queen'. First major international hit single.

Opening night of the Sheer Heart Attack UK tour.

Queen releases the album Sheer Heart Attack. Third studio album, the band's commercial breakthrough.

'Killer Queen' peaks at number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Queen performs live at this show.

Queen releases the single 'Now I'm Here'.

Tokyo, first date of the band's inaugural Japanese tour.

Sessions for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' begin at Rockfield Studios, Wales.

DJ Kenny Everett plays an advance copy of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' repeatedly on his BBC radio show, building anticipation before release.

Bohemian Rhapsody is released as a single in the UK.

Queen releases the single 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Landmark single combining rock, opera and ballad styles.

The band films the promotional video for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' at Elstree Studios.

Opening night of the A Night at the Opera Tour.

Rather than perform live, Queen supplies its newly filmed promotional video to Top of the Pops, an early example of the format.

Queen releases the album A Night at the Opera. Fourth studio album, featuring 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.

'Bohemian Rhapsody' reaches number one on the UK Singles Chart, where it remains for nine weeks.

London concerts filmed for later release.

Songwriters win the Ivor Novello Award for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as the year's best song.

Japanese tour date at the famed Budokan arena.

Queen releases the single 'You're My Best Friend'.

Queen records the gospel-influenced 'Somebody to Love' with multi-tracked vocal harmonies.

Free open-air concert in London's Hyde Park drawing a record crowd.

Queen releases the single 'Somebody to Love'.

'Somebody to Love' peaks at number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Queen releases the album A Day at the Races. Fifth studio album, featuring 'Somebody to Love'.

Opening night of the A Day at the Races Tour, US leg.

Queen wins Best British Group at the inaugural Brit Awards.

'Bohemian Rhapsody' is voted Best British Single of the previous 25 years.

New York concert on the A Day at the Races tour.

Queen releases the single 'Tie Your Mother Down'.

Queen releases the single 'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy'.

Queen performs live at this show.

Brian May writes and demos 'We Will Rock You', built around a foot-stomp rhythm.

Artist Frank Kelly Freas creates the album's robot cover artwork, inspired by a 1953 science-fiction magazine cover.

Queen releases the single 'We Are the Champions / We Will Rock You'. Double A-side stadium anthem single.

Television performance promoting the News of the World single.

Queen releases the album News of the World. Sixth studio album, featuring 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are the Champions'.

Queen performs live at this show.

Concert later released on video.

US date on the News of the World tour.

The album News of the World receives US platinum certification.

'We Are the Champions' peaks at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Queen releases the single 'Spread Your Wings'.

Queen records 'Bicycle Race' for the album Jazz.

Queen releases the single 'Mustapha'.

Queen releases the single 'Bicycle Race / Fat Bottomed Girls'.

Opening night of the Jazz Tour.

Double A-side single peak position on the UK chart.

Queen releases the album Jazz. Seventh studio album, featuring 'Bicycle Race' and 'Fat Bottomed Girls'.

Queen performs live at this show.

Queen releases the single 'Don't Stop Me Now'.

European date on the Jazz Tour.

European date on the Jazz Tour.

European date on the Jazz Tour.

Short, low-key Crazy Tour through small UK venues.

Queen releases the single 'Love of My Life (live)'.

Queen releases the album Live Killers. First official live album.

Queen releases the single 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. Rockabilly-styled single, a US number-one hit.

Queen releases the single 'Save Me'.

'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' reaches number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

John Deacon writes and largely records 'Another One Bites the Dust' at Musicland Studios, Munich.

Queen records the soundtrack score for the film Flash Gordon at The Town House, London.

Queen releases the single 'Play the Game'.

Queen releases the album The Game. Eighth studio album, the band's first US number-one album.

Opening night of The Game Tour, Rotterdam.

Opening night of The Game Tour, Rotterdam.

US arena date on The Game Tour.

Queen releases the single 'Another One Bites the Dust'. US number-one single with a driving bass riff by John Deacon.

Queen releases the single 'Need Your Loving Tonight'.

'Another One Bites the Dust' reaches number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Queen releases the single 'Flash'. Theme single from the film Flash Gordon.

Queen releases the album Flash Gordon. Soundtrack album for the film Flash Gordon.

Queen receives an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Video.

Queen becomes one of the first major rock acts to tour South America, opening in Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires, Argentina - opening night of the South American leg.

One of the largest paying concert audiences to that point.

Chile concert on The Game tour's South American leg.

Queen and David Bowie record 'Under Pressure' in a single overnight session at Mountain Studios, Montreux.

Queen releases the album Greatest Hits. First greatest hits compilation, later the UK's best-selling album.

Queen releases the single 'Under Pressure'. Collaboration single with David Bowie.

'Under Pressure', Queen's collaboration with David Bowie, reaches number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Opening night of the Hot Space Tour, Brussels.

Queen releases the single 'Body Language'.

Queen releases the album Hot Space. Ninth studio album, exploring funk and dance influences.

Hot Space tour date in England.

Queen releases the single 'Calling All Girls'.

US arena date on the Hot Space Tour.

Queen releases the single 'Las Palabras de Amor'.

Queen releases the single 'Radio Ga Ga'.

'Radio Ga Ga' peaks at number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Queen releases the album The Works. Tenth studio album, featuring 'Radio Ga Ga'.

The band films the music video for 'I Want to Break Free', featuring the members in drag.

Queen releases the single 'I Want to Break Free'. Single accompanied by a notable cross-dressing music video.

Single peak chart position in the UK.

Queen releases the single 'It's a Hard Life'.

Brussels.

Opening night of The Works Tour, Brussels.

Opening night venue of The Works Tour.

UK arena date on The Works Tour.

Queen's video innovation receives industry recognition around the release of The Works.

Queen performs live at this show.

Queen releases the single 'Hammer to Fall'.

European date on The Works Tour.

Controversial shows during the cultural boycott era.

European tour date on The Works Tour.

Queen releases the single 'Thank God It's Christmas'.

Queen performs live at this show.

Queen headlines Rock in Rio at the Maracana Stadium.

Performance broadcast to a large South American television audience.

Queen performs live at this show.

Rock in Rio performance broadcast to a national television audience.

Queen play their celebrated Wembley Stadium set at Live Aid.

Queen's 21-minute Wembley Stadium set at Live Aid is widely regarded as one of the greatest live performances in rock history.

Queen's performance is broadcast live to an estimated global audience of nearly two billion via television.

Queen releases the single 'One Vision'.

Queen releases the single 'A Kind of Magic'.

The band films the animated/live-action video for 'A Kind of Magic'.

The music video receives heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels.

Queen releases the album A Kind of Magic. Eleventh studio album, linked to the film Highlander.

Opens in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stockholm, Sweden - opening night of the Magic Tour.

Queen releases the single 'Friends Will Be Friends'.

French tour date on the Magic Tour.

Magic Tour concert at Slane Castle, County Meath.

First of two sold-out Wembley Stadium shows on the Magic Tour.

Queen performs live at this show.

One of the first major Western rock concerts held behind the Iron Curtain, at Nepstadion.

One of the final continental European dates of the Magic Tour.

Queen performs live at this show.

Queen performs what becomes its last concert with Freddie Mercury, in Knebworth, England.

Knebworth Park, England.

Queen releases the single 'Who Wants to Live Forever'.

Queen releases the album Live Magic. Live album compiled from the Magic Tour.

Queen releases the single 'One Year of Love'.

UK arena date on the Magic Tour.

Greatest Hits is certified for exceptionally high UK sales.

Recording sessions for the album The Miracle begin at Mountain Studios and Townhouse Studios.

Queen releases the single 'I Want It All'.

Queen releases the album The Miracle. Twelfth studio album.

Queen releases the single 'Breakthru'.

Queen releases the single 'The Invisible Man'.

Queen releases the single 'Scandal'.

Queen releases the single 'The Miracle'.

Queen is recognized for outstanding worldwide album sales.

Queen receives the Silver Clef Award recognizing lifetime achievement.

Queen records the epic title track 'Innuendo' at Metropolis Studios, London.

Queen releases the single 'Innuendo'. UK number-one single.

Queen releases the album Innuendo. Thirteenth studio album, the last released in Freddie Mercury's lifetime.

The title track and album 'Innuendo' both reach number one in the UK.

Freddie Mercury records final vocal tracks at Mountain Studios, Montreux, knowing his illness was terminal.

Queen releases the single 'I'm Going Slightly Mad'.

Freddie Mercury records the vocal for 'The Show Must Go On' in a single session despite failing health.

Freddie Mercury gives one of his final on-camera interviews, later used in retrospectives.

Queen releases the single 'Headlong'.

Filmed in black and white, this becomes Freddie Mercury's final on-camera appearance.

Music video for 'The Show Must Go On' is compiled largely from archival tour footage due to Freddie Mercury's declining health.

Queen releases the single 'The Show Must Go On'.

Queen releases the album Greatest Hits II. Second greatest hits compilation.

Freddie Mercury issues a statement confirming he has AIDS, one day before his death.

Freddie Mercury dies at his home in Kensington, London, from bronchopneumonia related to AIDS.

A private funeral service for Freddie Mercury, conducted according to Zoroastrian rites, is held in London.

Queen releases the single 'Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are the Days of Our Lives'. Re-released as a double A-side following Freddie Mercury's death.

Following Freddie Mercury's death, the re-released 'Bohemian Rhapsody' returns to number one on the UK Singles Chart.

The re-released 'Bohemian Rhapsody' wins Best British Single at the Brit Awards.

Following its use in Wayne's World, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' re-enters and rises on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert is held at Wembley Stadium.

All-star tribute concert at Wembley Stadium raising AIDS awareness.

The tribute concert is broadcast live to over 70 countries.

Live album and video documenting the Magic Tour's Wembley Stadium shows.

Freddie Mercury and Queen are honoured at the MTV Video Music Awards following his death.

Queen receives the Q Award for Merit recognizing its body of work.

Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon complete production on Made in Heaven using Freddie Mercury's final vocal recordings.

Queen releases the album Made in Heaven. Final studio album, completed after Freddie Mercury's death.

Queen releases the single 'Heaven for Everyone'.

Queen releases the single 'Let Me Live'.

Queen releases the single 'Too Much Love Will Kill You'.

Queen releases the single 'You Don't Fool Me'.

A bronze statue of Freddie Mercury is unveiled on the shore of Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland.

John Deacon effectively retires from the music industry following the Party at the Palace performance.

Queen releases the single 'No One but You (Only the Good Die Young)'.

Compilation focused on the band's harder rock tracks.

A UK industry poll names 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as having the nation's favourite lyric.

Queen releases the album Greatest Hits III. Third greatest hits compilation.

Queen is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York.

Queen is honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A UK television poll votes 'Bohemian Rhapsody' the greatest song of all time.

The Ben Elton jukebox musical based on Queen's songs premieres at the Dominion Theatre.

Brian May opens the Golden Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace with a guitar solo of 'God Save the Queen' from the palace roof.

Freddie Mercury's songwriting catalogue receives continued industry recognition.

Recording is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame recognizing its historical significance.

Brian May and Roger Taylor announce a touring collaboration with vocalist Paul Rodgers.

Live album from the 1982 Milton Keynes Bowl concert.

Queen is inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

Queen's live legacy, including Live Aid, is honoured at the Brit Awards ceremony.

Songwriting body honors Queen's catalogue with a lifetime achievement award.

A UK industry poll of musicians votes Queen's Live Aid set the greatest live performance in rock history.

Cape Town AIDS-awareness benefit concert.

Brian May is awarded a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College London, having paused his studies decades earlier to pursue music.

Queen releases the album Queen Rock Montreal. Live album/film recorded at the 1981 Montreal shows.

Brian May takes on the ceremonial role of Chancellor.

Brian May and Roger Taylor perform with Adam Lambert for the first time, on the televised talent show American Idol.

Single-disc greatest hits compilation.

BBC broadcasts the two-part documentary chronicling the band's history.

Queen and Adam Lambert announce an ongoing touring partnership.

Queen releases the single 'Under Pressure (2011 remaster reissue)'.

Restored footage of the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon Christmas concert is broadcast and released.

Special vinyl reissue for the album's fortieth anniversary.

Principal photography begins on the Queen biographical film.

Expanded reissue marking the album's fortieth anniversary.

Soundtrack album to the Bohemian Rhapsody film is released.

The Freddie Mercury/Queen biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody premieres in cinemas.

The film soundtrack album reaches number one on the UK Albums Chart.

'Bohemian Rhapsody' is certified by YouTube/streaming platforms as the most-streamed song from the 20th century.

Queen's Greatest Hits is certified as the best-selling album in UK chart history.

The Freddie Mercury biopic wins Best Motion Picture, Drama, at the Golden Globe Awards.

The Official Charts Company confirms Greatest Hits as the UK's all-time best-selling album.

'Don't Stop Me Now' surpasses hundreds of millions of streams, becoming one of Queen's most-streamed catalogue tracks.

The Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack album is recognized at the Grammy Awards cycle.

Rami Malek wins the Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying Freddie Mercury.

The film wins the Academy Award for Best Film Editing.

The official music video for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' becomes the first pre-1990s video to surpass one billion YouTube views.

Queen releases the single 'You Are the Champions (charity remix)'. Charity re-recording released to support COVID-19 relief efforts.

Brian May and Roger Taylor receive honours recognizing their contributions to music.

The modern QueenZone rebuild tracks archive-first development and public restoration work.